Kite rocket parachute release



March 6, 1962 A. V. JOHNSQN, JR

KITE ROCKET PARACHUTE RELEASE Filed March 21, 1960 JNVENTOR. Aura: V. Jay/vim; Je.

atent 3,023,987 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 3,023,987 KITE ROCKET PARACHUTE RELEASE Axel V. Johnson, Jr., 65 Hillbrook Circle, Pittsford, N .Y. Filed Mar. 21, 1961), Ser. No. 16,233 2 Claims. (Cl. 244-155) This invention relates to kites and more particularly to an accessory therefor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novelty attachment for kites which will automatically release a parachute upon reaching a predetermined point along the kite cable, and which will then return to the starting position after effecting such release.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a kite rocket of the type described which employs a releasable sail member which is released from the rocket member upon striking an object carried upon the kite cable, simultaneously with the release of the parachute also carried thereby, and following which the rocket will return to the starting position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a kite rocket of the type hereinbefore described which can be manufactured in large quantities at a relatively low cost, and which can be readily manipulated by young and old children alike.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a kite rocket assembly made in accordance with the present invention in actual use;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1 during the return movement thereof to the initial starting position;

FIGURE 3 is a front end elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view, with parts broken away, of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a sail member forming a part of the present invention.

Referring nowto the drawing, a kite rocket made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a substantially hollow cylindrical main body portion 12 having an interior compartment 14 and provided with a tail assembly 16 at one end and a nose assembly 18 at the opposite end. A pair of longitudinally aligned eye members 20 serve as slide means for slidably supporting the rocket upon a flexible cable 22, such as a kite string. Each of the eyes 20 is provided with a small opening 23 into which the kite string 22 may be inserted or removed. While screw eye type sliders 21) have been illustrated in the drawing, it will be recognized that wheels, bearings, and other type of slide mechanisms may be substituted therefor without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

A trip bar 24 is slidably supported within the interior 14 of the main body member 12 and has one end formed into an enlarged loop 26 which is freely spaced from the kite string 22. This enlarged loop 26 projects outwardly from the forward end of the rocket and is adapted to engage with an abutment 42 mounted anywhere along the length of the kite string 22, and preferably near the attachment point of the kite 44. This enlarged loop 26 is also provided with an opening 28 to facilitate the insertion and removal of the kite string 22. The opposite end of the trip bar 24 is provided with a point 30 which is movable into an obliquely extending slot 32 in the nose 18, into which slot a card 34 having an aperture 36 is slidably received. This card 34 functions as a sail to propel the rocket along the length of the kite string 22 toward the kite 44. The point 30 of the trip bar normally extends through the obliquely extending slot 32 and the aligned aperture 36 in the sail card 34 thus maintaining the parts in assembled relationship until the enlarged loop 26 engages the abutment member 42 on the kite string 22, which engagement causes rearward movement of the trip bar 24 so as to withdraw the point 30 thereof from interlocking engagement with the aperture 36 of the sail card 34, thus allowing the same to drop downwardly toward the earth. This trip bar may also releasably support the shroud line 38 of a toy parachute 40, for release simultaneously with the release of the sail card 34.

It will now be recognized that in actual use, the parachute and sail card 34 are attached in the maner shown, whereupon the device is mounted upon the kite string 22 by inserting it through the provided openings 28, 22 in the enlarged loop and sliders, respectively. The wind will then propel the rocket through the sail card 34 upwardly along the length of the kite string 22 until the enlarged loop 26 abuts with the stop member 42 carried upon the kite string 22, which abutment causes rearward movement of the trip bar 24 to release the sail card 34 and parachute for movement toward the ground. With the sail card released from the rocket, it will return by its own weight to the initial starting position, where it may be reset.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A kite rocket comprising in combination a hollow main body member having a tail assembly at one end and a nose assembly at the opposite end, slide means comprising a first unclosed loop extending from said nose assembly and a second unclosed loop extending from said tail assembly, said slide means positioned and adapted to support said main body member for slidable movement, longitudinally along a flexible kite string, said nose assembly including an oblique slot positioned and adapted to receive and support a rigid sail in a plane transverse to the length of the main body member and extending downwardly therefrom, the plane being approximately perpendicular to the ground when the main body member is supported by said kite string, a rigid sail having an aperture therein and positioned in said slot, a U-shaped trip bar supported for reciprocal movement longitudinally within said main body member, the longer leg of said trip bar terminating in an enlarged unclosed loop projecting forwardly outward from said nose assembly and adapted to freely encircle the kite string on which said main body member is to be supported, the short leg of said trip bar terminating in a point normally extending through said oblique slot and through said aperture in said sail, the reciprocal movement of said trip bar being sufiicient to disengage said short leg from said slot.

2. A kite rocket as set forth in claim 1, further cornprising a parachute having a shroud line insertable into said oblique slot and releasably carried upon said point of said trip bar with said sail.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 589,373 Folsom et al Aug. 31, 1897 1,211,896 Thomas Jan. 9, 1917 1,484,775 Haight Feb. 26, 1924 2,522,422 Wolf Sept. 2, 1950 2,944,775 Selleck July 12, 1960 2,950,887 Hidding Aug. 30, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,137 Great Britain 1902 AD. 

